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January 25, 2014MLB News: Charles Nagy returns to Indians in staff position
January 25, 2014The Cleveland Indians announced significant details of their 2014 promotional calendar during today’s TribeFest event at Progressive Field.
The much-debated Jim Thome statue will be unveiled in a ceremony on August 2. There will be replica statues given away that night. That evening will mark just over 34 months after details for the Heritage Park statue were first announced. Thome joined the Chicago White Sox as a special assistant last season.
There will be four bobblehead giveaways this season: Orel Hershiser on May 3, A “Bro-Ohio”-themed Nick Swisher one on May 31, Michael Bourn on June 3 and Jason Kipnis on July 8. Hershiser is perhaps a slight surprise, as the long-time Dodger only played three late-career seasons with the Tribe. But those were of course the great years of 1995-97.
There also will be four replica jersey nights: Omar Vizquel on June 21, Larry Doby on July 5, Kenny Lofton on July 12 and Terry Francona on August 23. Vizquel’s giveaway day coincides with his induction to the Indians Hall of Fame, which was announced last week.
There also will be two additional two-shirt giveaways. One, on June 18, will be designed by our friends at GV Artwork & Design. That’s a pretty awesome honor. The other, on September 6, will be decided among the fans. Fans can submit designs at Indians.com/tshirtdesign.
Last year’s promotional calendar was headlined by bobblehead giveaways of former Indians legends Vizquel and Albert Belle. Overall this season, there will be 15 fireworks nights and 13 Dollar Dog games. Last year, there were 16 fireworks and 15 Dollar Dog contests.
[Related: Carlos Santana moving to third base, Chris Antonetti looking for free agents: Thursday Tribe Notes]
Photo: Jacob Rosen/WFNY
23 Comments
If your girl friend dumped you for a rich man, would you hang her portrait in your living room? Sheesh.
Great a statue for mr. “They’ll have to tear this jersey off my back”. When does the leBron statue go up?
Over the toilet!
Over the toilet!
Thome returns for his statue as a member of the White Sox organization, Vizquel will return as a member of the Tigers organization what the heck is going on?
They make the playoffs and dollar dog nights go down!
It sucked when Thome left for the money. Just like it did when Albert and Manny left among others. I can’t say that I wouldn’t do the same. However, don’t compare it to LePunk. He left and intentionally sabotaged the Cavs and their fans on the way out. Absolutely no comparison.
The anniversary of when Modell signed the deal with Baltimore
i really hope the statue is outside the stadium and becomes a new cleveland tourist stop kinda like jim morrison’s tomb in paris except, of course, without the love.
Between the pathetic signs and fans cheering him again, very soon.
Thome is consistently considered one of the best hitters in the game and one of the nicest men to ever play it. There is literally fewer people you could turn to as a penultimate example of an athlete. He helped make Cleveland relevant and really was one of, if not the, center piece(s) of that great Indians run, and a face of one of the best baseball teams ever assembled. I’m glad he is getting a statue, and I look forward to the day he chooses an Indians cap when he goes in the hall.
Thome is nowhere close to the likes of a LeBron or Boozer and I, for one, plan on making the trip back for the unveiling.
well, Thome did “Live in Philadelphia”. though, not in 1970.
Anecdotally, they seemed to be less popular than years past, now drawing as big of crowds.
Thome refused to let the Indians trade him away in 2002, preventing them from getting better prospects. He then strung along the Indians in contract negotations. He sure as hell sabotaged the team on his way out.
“literally fewer people you could turn to as a penultimate example of an athlete.”
Right down to the “money above all else” thought. At least guys like Manny and Belle owned up to it.
Makes sense,
If I end up going to a game this year, the best bet is the statue being unveiled as a birthday present. Rarely do the Indians have a home game on my birthday (usually on the road), much less one on a Saturday. Last year, they got blown up in Miami and were in Bahston two and three years ago.
FYI: “Penultimate” does not mean what you think it means.
it still irks me that it’s a Thome statue. he was one of the great players of that era, but we really should have had more. I’d have gone with a Rushmore look with multiple guys for a grand effect:
Thome’s pre-batting stance
Omar fielding a ball bare-handed
Kenny scaling the wall for a catch
Manny’s sweet, sweet swing
Since Sandy is the guy actually still on the team, I wouldn’t mind having him in catcher gear mid-throw to 2B. And, yes, there’s a reason no pitcher is on the display.
It’s hard for me to knock Thome because he was an integral part of those teams but he didn’t/doesn’t deserve a statue regardless of how he left, not once but twice.
I like your idea but you forgot Albert Belle destroying a thermostat or even better Fernando Vina!!!
Now that Nagy is back he could be throwing to Sandy or something. Only problem is we are missing my man Carlos Baerga. Maybe he could be drinking a beer somewhere in the background.
Belle would have to be pointing to his bicep. It’s how he will always be remembered, but I don’t think MLB would approve of such a statue.
I believe that was against the Red Sox too wasn’t it? If so no wonder I forgot it. 😉
http://coedbc.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/albert-belle-bicep-point.jpg
cannot forget it. impossible.